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Monday, December 31, 2012

Rockport, Maine - Beginning Friday, January 4, the Everyman Repertory Theatre, midcoast Maine’s professional theatre company, will present The Eight: Reindeer Monologues – a dark, dark Christmas comedy by Jeff Goode. This play, geared towards adults, opens a window into the North Pole where, despite what the carols say, all is not well. Accusations of sexual harassment against St. Nick are placing The Eight— Santa’s famed reindeer team — under the spotlight in a hilarious and revelation-filled evening. Performances will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 4, 5 and 6 at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Avenue in Rockport.

The play, directed by David Troup and designed by Brandon Koons, has a cast that includes several familiar Everyman Rep faces, such as Paul and Jen Hodgson, Abby Norman, Ashley St. Pierre, David Troup and David Greenham who recently directed Freud’s Last Session and appeared in Everyman’s staged reading of ART. Joining the company for this run will also be two very experienced out-of-State performers with Maine connections: Lou Carbonneau and Joseph Ritsch.

Lou Carbonneau is originally from Lewiston, Maine. A graduate of Bates College, he has been working as an actor in New York City in both TV and Film for the past 18 years. His film work has included The Sitter starring Jonah Hill, Everybody’s Fine starring Robert De Niro, Noise starring Tim Robbins, Friends & Family starring Tony Lo Bianco, Let It Snow starring Bernadette Peters, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Undead with Jeremy Sisto. On TV, Lou spent two seasons on Law & Order SVU in a recurring role as CSU Tech Harry. He also recurred on JJ Abrams’ 6 Degrees and has appeared on NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Royal Pains, Damages, Cosby, Deadline, Rescue Me, The Onion Sportsdome, and The Big C.
Joseph Ritsch is a performer/playwright/director/choreographer from New York City who is now based in Baltimore. A graduate of The School of Performing Arts at The University of Maine, Joseph became a principal ensemble member with Jane Comfort And Company, one of the industry’s premiere movement theatre ensembles. He received critical acclaim for his work with Jane in both the Village Voice and the New York Times for his multiple roles in S/He and for the title role of Macbeth in Cliff Notes Macbeth. A co-founder and the Associate Artistic Director of Iron Crow Theatre in Baltimore, he has portrayed many roles there, such as Amanda Wingvalley in For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Joseph is on the faculty of Carver Center for The Arts, a Baltimore based high school for the arts, where he teaches directing, acting and devised theatre.

Performances on Friday and Saturday, January 4 and 5 will begin at 7 p.m., and the Sunday, January 6 performance will begin at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 with advance reservations and $25 at the door. Please note that this production contains foul-mouthed reindeer and is definitely not suitable for kids. For more information or to reserve a ticket, please call the Everyman Repertory Theatre at 207-236-0173 or visit www.everymanrep.org.

Theatre is not an exclusive art form. At the Everyman Rep we are committed to bringing live, professional theatre to as wide an audience as possible.

The Everyman Repertory Theatre, founded in 2008, is a registered 501(c)3, not-for-profit theatre company committed to bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Midcoast Maine.

Fall brings many surprises to the
coast of Maine. A very pleasant surprise was to find Captain Sean
Bercaw of Freedom Schooner Amistad, awaiting customs clearance after
returning from Nova Scotia. Amistad is a ship with a mission. A
reminder of a dark time in history when people were stolen from their
homes and carried off to a far away land where no one spoke their
language and they were forced into a life of slavery. Her namesake
La Amistad was transporting 53 slaves to Cuba to be used as labor in
the sugar cane fields when she was forced to change course and this
eventually helped to change the course of this nation. During to
voyage to Cuba one of the slaves was able to free himself and also
the others who were on board. Armed with sugar cane knives the
managed to take the ship. They ordered the crew to sail west, which
they did during the day but at night they would sail north east in
hope of running across another vessel to free them from the slaves
who held the ship. Off Long Island New York the U S Navy ship USS
Washington found them and took the slaves into custody and took
possession of La Amistad.

The
court case that followed was instrumental in bringing the blight of
slavery into the public eye in the United States. The case went all
the way to the Supreme Court who freed the those who had been
involved in the taking of La Amistad. They eventually were able to
return to their home but things had changed forever in the United
States due to the actions of these former slaves.

“The
impetus for building the Amistad came from Warren Q. Marr II, former
editor of the NAACP’s The Crisis magazine. Marr’s inspiration for
the replica emerged during New York’s operation sail 1976, a
spectacular parade of the world’s tall ships. Participating in that
event was a representation of the historic 19th century schooner, La
Amistad. It was actually the schooner Western Union with its name
temporarily hidden under signs proclaiming her La Amistad. Marr
wanted the story of the African captives’ fight for freedom on the
seas, in a New Haven court, and in a landmark United States Supreme
Court case to be told. Marr’s goal was to design the re-created
vessel as a floating exhibit, assemble a crew, and sail her from port
to port teaching the history of the Amistad Incident of 1839. Marr
believed the Amistad story could foster unity among people of diverse
backgrounds and help improve race relations.”

“The
reproduction was built in Mystic Seaport’s Henry B. DuPont
Preservation Shipyard. It was built using traditional construction
techniques. Some of the tools used to construct the Freedom Schooner
Amistad were those that may have been used in 19th century
construction. Others were electric tools. The reconstruction, while
based on the appearance of La Amistad was about 10 feet longer than
the original to accommodate an engine room. It also had bronze bolts
in use as fastenings throughout the ship and an external ballast made
of lead. None of these features would have been available on the
original Amistad.”

The Keeper of StoriesThe Lighthouse Keeper's DaughterBy Doug Mills
“There is neither tree nor shrub and hardly a blade of grass on The Rock. The surface is rough and irregular and resembles a confused pile of loose stone. Portions of The Rock are frequently swept over by the waves which move the huge boulders into new positions.” The Lighthouse Board’s 1891 Annual Report.

Located nearly 18 miles out to sea, Matinicus Rock may well be the most inhospitable place on the coast of Maine. The Matinicus Rock light station was established in 1827. By 1831 its first keeper was too ill to continue and soon died. The second keeper also died after only a short time on The Rock. During a winter storm in 1842 Keeper Abbott and his family needed to seek shelter in the attic of the keepers house as waves swept over the island and through the first floor of the house.

In 1853 Samuel Burgess became keeper at “The Rock”. He brought with him his handicapped wife and several of their ten children including 14 year old Abbie. Abbie soon learned the duties of the lightstation. One January morning in 1856 burgess had to sail to Rockland, some 25 miles away, for much needed supplies. He left Abbie to care for her mother and younger sisters as well as keeping the light. Burgess had no way of knowing a monster storm was bearing down on the Gulf of Maine. By afternoon the sky had turned black and the wind began to blow. The storm continued to strengthen through the long night. The morning came with a howling gale and the waves crashing over the entire island. Another sleepless night only to find, the next morning, the waves threatening to wash the keepers house into the crashing sea. Abbie moved her mother and sisters into the north lighthouse tower, then waded through knee deep water to save the chickens. A short time after she arrived back in the safety of the north tower a giant wave crashed over the island completely destroying the old keepers house!

Day after day going about her duties as the winds howled and the waves crashed over the island. Watching for her fathers small boat returning from the mainland. Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, weeks turn into nearly a month and still no sign of that sail on the horizon, no sign of her fathers return.Abbie later wrote of those days, “As the tide came, the sea rose higher and higher, till the only endurable places were the light towers. If they stood we were saved, otherwise our fate was only too certain. But for some reason, I know not I had no misgivings, and went on with my work as usual. For four weeks, owing to rough weather, no landing could be effected on the Rock. During this time we were without the assistance of any male member of our family. Though at times greatly exhausted with my labors, not once did the lights fail. Under God I was able to perform all my accustomed duties as well as my father’s.”
After four long weeks of fearing the worst, Burgess was able to make it back to “The Rock”. The sea had finally calmed down enough for him to land on the rocky island. Imagine his joy to find his family well and that the lights had never once gone out!

Once again in 1857 while burgess was in Rockland for supplies, foul winter weather kept him from returning for three weeks.

The Keeper of Stories:A Tale of Two LightsBy Doug Mills
Two Lights Cape Elizabeth Maine
Marcus Auralius Hanna, a Civil War Medal of honor winner, was appointed
keeper of the two lights at Cape Elizabeth Maine, located on the approach to Portland harbor.
On the night of January 28, 1885 a huge winter storm moved up the Maine coast growing rapidly into a howling blizzard. Hanna sick with the flue spent the whole night sounding the steam fog whistle. At 6:00 A.M. he was relieved by the assistant keeper. Suffering from his illness and exhaustion he had to crawl through the deep snow drifts to the keepers house. Hanna’s wife put out the lights in both towers after sunrise.
It was around 8:40 A.M. when Mrs. Hanna saw it, a schooner aground on Dyer’s ledge, just below the lighthouse. It was the Australia out of Booth Bay bound for Boston. The captain had already been carried overboard in the violent seas. Two crewmen remained alive. They had climbed into the rigging to keep from being swept overboard, leaving them exposed to the freezing wind and ocean spray. Hanna and the assistant keeper rushed to the shore near the stranded vessel. The ice on the rocks made it nearly impossible to get close

Marcus Auralius Hanna

and the wind and snow would not allow them to
keep the stranded sailors in sight. The waves
attempted to pull them into the deadly waters
while the cold wind slowly sucked the life out
of their bodies.
Hanna tried to throw a line to the freezing
sailors but to no avail. The assistant keeper
returned to his duties at the fog signal, feeling
the situation was hopeless. Hanna refused to
give up. Nearly frozen himself by this time he
waded waist deep into the freezing waves and
threw the line again. Success, the first sailor
managed to tie the rope around himself and was
pulled to the shore. After several more tries he was
able to get the rope to the second sailor. The sailor ties the line around himself. Hanna begins to pull him in. But, with the cold waters taking the life from his body and his cloths frozen from the wind and snow, his strength fails!
At that moment the assistant keeper returns with two neighbors and the four men were able to pull the second sailor to safety.

JUST IN: We have learned that Actress Katherine McNamara will be the cover girl for the February/March issue of BYou. BYou says via Facebook; Great interview today with amazing @Kat_McNamara for our next issue! Look for her on our Feb/March cover! We ♥ you Kat! Happy New Year!About Katherine McNamara:Katherine has been seen in the Disney Channel original Movie "Girl VS Monster" alongside Olivia Holt, Kickin It, Last Ounce of Courage and soon to be seen in Madison High as Cherri O'Keefe (no release date announced yet), Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn as Becky Thatcher ( release date is set for 2013, no specific date) and Contest as Sarah O'Malley ( in post-production).Katherine McNamara, a brand new addition to the Disney Family, was recently cast this past year in the new Disney pilot "Madison High." She portrays 'Cherri O'Keefe,' resident fashionista and creator of Madison High's popular gossip blog. McNamara's love for acting stretches beyond the small screen, with numerous credits in stage productions and film.McNamara began her career on Broadway at the age of 13 as 'Fredrika Armfeldt' in A Little Night Music,starring opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. She was fortunate to continue as 'Fredrika' with the second ALNM Broadway cast of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch as well. Her other theater roles include 'Esther Jane' in the pre-Broadway world premiere of A Christmas Story, the Musical! as well as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Crucible, Inherit the Wind, Annie, The Secret Garden, and Galileo. She has also been cast in a number of Equity readings, including PAN, which was developed by the In the Heights creative team.Katherine will make her big screen debut this year in the Warner Brothers Picture "New Year's Eve," where she portrays 'Lily.' In addition, Katherine will star as ‘Becky Thatcher’ in the re-make of “Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn” alongside Joel Courtney and Jake T. Austin. Television credits includes "Law and Order: SVU," "Drop Dead Diva," "30 Rock," "Late Night with David Letterman," "Good Morning, America," and PBS's "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert."Kat balances her passion for acting with her dedication to education. At the age of 14, she graduated with honors from high school, and is pursuing a degree in Business with an emphasis in Finance at Drexel University's LeBow School of Business online program.Katherine has a passion for all forms of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, waltz and hula. She also plays the guitar and piano and enjoys singing and songwriting. Katherine plans to share her love of music with the world later this year, and is currently in the studio recording a few original pop songs. She resides in Los Angeles, California and her hometown is Kansas City, Missouri.Most recently Katherine McNamara attended the Radio Disney's N.B.T Finale in Glendale, California and the Celebrity Stuff-A-Thon in Studio City, California on December 8th and the premiere of "The Impossible".Stay tuned as we will bring you what Katherine cover looks like when it becomes available. Are you looking forward to seeing Katherine's February/March cover of BYou?

The MaineSail JournalCamden Windjammer FestivalBy Doug Mills
It's 1936 and the world is reeling from the great depression. If necessity is the mother of invention than hard times must be the father. A young man by the name of Frank Swift moved to Maine in 1935 with his new bride. Things were hard and they barely made ends meet that first winter. Through that long cold winter Frank worked on an idea. In the spring he leased a schooner and converted it to carry passengers on week long sailing trips much like the "dude ranches" in the west. By the start of the third season he was sailing three schooners and "windjamming" on the coast of Maine was taking off. His love of sailing and the call of the sea had created a whole new industry that 75 years later is still thriving! This weekend nearly 20 schooners met in Camden, Maine to celebrate the industry the industry that Frank Swift had created during the dark days of the great depression. Over 1200 years of sailing heritage in the harbor where it all started, Camden, Maine.

A full weekend of celebration began on Friday with the arrival of the fleet, tall ships ranging in age from 25 to 141 years of sailing. The weekends events include: Maritime Heritage Fair: Booths and displays of maritime history, traditions and skills, a lobster crate race, water rescue demonstrations, open house on the historic schooners and of course pirates. There was a wedding onboard the schooner Mary Day which celebrated her 50th year of sailing this weekend. A little rain on Sunday, but it cleared for the fireworks over the harbor.

By Doug Mills Pirates at the Camden Windjammer Festival? I am not sure what I was expecting, a few people in fake pirate costume pretending to have a sword fight, the Pirates of the Dark Rose were so much more. The costumes, their speech, their knowledge of their craft combined with the schooner fleet in the harbor combined to make one believe that Camden had actually been taken over by pirates! I found myself in big trouble as soon as I walked up. "That had better be a Nikon Camera you be shooting with" bellowed one of the pirates, "ARGH, it be a Canon! We pirates din't like having cannons pointed at us.." he yells as his hand moves for his sword.

We pirates din't like having cannons pointed at us..

First up was the "Pirates Council" to settle any grievances among the crew. There was no appealing this ruling and there were a few less crew when they were done. I am glad that my "Canon incident" didn't have to be settled in that court! Later we were treated to a great demonstration of pirate weapons and tactics. I would not want to be on the receiving end of this pirate invasion.
The Pirates of the Dark Rose are a combination of wit and wisdom, combining fun with a deep knowledge of the history they portray. Oh, did I mention that the canons and the weapons used were real and not toys?
So, step back and enjoy that pirate fantasy you had as a child for a few hours. Ah...or "ARGH" it is just as I had dreamed it would be so many years ago. I can't wait to have a chance to see "The Pirates of the Dark Rose" again.
For those in the Eastport area they will be at the Eastport Pirate Festival, 7-9 September at Eastport, Maine -- where one whole town turns pirate, warms me old black heart, it does. For those who will not be able to make it to Eastport you can contact The Pirates of the Dark Rose to invade...I mean visit your Fair or Festival, Historic Site, School or Fundraiser. For engagements or information, contact Tom Crudbeard